Pakistan Cricket Board Gags Players After Disappointing Loss in Sri Lanka

The centrally contracted players of Pakistan Cricket Board have been issued gag orders by the team manager and chief selector Moin Khan. Soon after the national team returned home after a disappointing tour to Sri Lanka, players were inaccessible to the media.

"I can't talk to the media, we have been given clear instructions by our officials that we can't speak now," off-spinner Saeed Ajmal said.

Another Pakistan team member who declined to be named said the orders from Moin, a former Pakistan captain, came as the team prepared to fly home from Colombo.

The players have all been told they should not speak to the media.

"So even if some of us have no problems interacting with the media we can't do that as we are contracted with the Board," the player said.

A PCB official told PTI that the gag orders came just to ensure there was no controversy after the team's return home.

"Normally, when the team loses and comes home the media is looking for sensational stories and already there was speculation about problems within the team. So the players have been told not to speak to media or appear on television," he said.

In the past too, such media gag orders have been issued whenever the team has not done well. The central contracts of the players also state clearly that players can only interact with the media after permission from the Board or team management.